Who's Who

-In DeQuincy and the Surrounding Area

Harry Hooker, Sr. Memorial Fund

﻿2014 Holy Smoke BBQ Cookoff Winners

﻿﻿﻿When the praises go up, the smoke does, too!

This year marks the 5th Annual Holy Smoke BBQ Cook-Off & Praise Festival which is held the 4th Saturday in October, Col. Hooker’s birth month, at the nationally recognized DeQuincy Railroad Museum. The festival is a fun, family-friendly, good food eating, Gospel singing, community birthday party, which honors Colonel Hooker’s legacy and dedication to God, family, friends and the City of DeQuincy. There are BBQ vendors, food trucks, sweet booths, snack and craft booths, children’s activities, and the Famous Miniature Train rides for the young and the young at heart. Colonel Hooker loved to see people come together to realize that we can celebrate that which we have in common, rather than to magnify our differences. The Harry L. Hooker Memorial Fund was birthed in 2009 after the untimely passing of the foundation’s namesake and visionary, Elder Harry L. (Colonel) Hooker, Sr. It is a community service organization. From the HLH Memorial Fund’s inception, it has been a joint effort of family, friends, co-workers and concerned community individuals and businesses that have made this endeavor possible. The Fund Co-Sponsored the 1st Annual 2014 Junteenth Community Prayer Celebration, and the Annual Back to School Supply Drive to be held in August. The HLH Memorial Fund presents a $1000 University Award and two-$500 Technical Awards to deserving students of DeQuincy High each year. Contact Founder and President, Darlene P. Hooker at 786-6265. The Harry L. Hooker, Sr. Memorial Fund is a Lifetime member of the DeQuincy Railroad Museum and the Fund's President is a Board member of both the City of DeQuincy Chamber of Commerce, DeQuincy Elderly Housing Board (CCOA), L.O.V.E. Community Mission and an active member of Guiding Light COGIC of DeQuincy.